RHS'69

RHS'69's 2019 Cruise

Monday, November 18, 2019

Years in the planning, the RHS'69 Cruise was a big success. Art and Josie Akana were the wagon masters that put this adventure together and held our hands all the way.

Josie takes it from here...

Moore than 400 photos and several dozen videos were taken on this trip. While this is one of the longer blogs we have posted, we barely touched all of them. You can see all the submitted photos and videos here.

Scroll down the list on the left to 2019 RHS'69 Cruise and select it.

All the years of planning had come to a realization…the much anticipated 50th class reunion cruise vacation was here.

Time to get ready to step on a big ship and just cruise for 6 days. Eat, sleep and repeat. Mixed in with the opportunity to see a few Canadian cities and a few more along the West Coast.

Thirty-six RHS classmates, spouses and friends took the plunge to sail the NCL Bliss on the Pacific Coastal cruise between Vancouver and Los Angeles with stops in Seattle, Victoria BC & San Francisco.

Early the next morning, we checked out of the hotel and showed up at the Seattle King Street Amtak train station for the 4-hour train ride to Vancouver BC.  Business class is the only way to travel…relaxing and carefree!  We enjoyed beautiful lush greenery and the Pacific Ocean from the big windows.

Four hours later we were in Vancouver and it was off to the sky train for door front arrival at the Pan Pacific Vancouver hotel at Canada Place.  

Our small group started poking around Vancouver and found ourselves in the largest Chinatown in North America.

By early evening, 4 more classmates flew directly into Vancouver and we were all on the hunt for more food and thirst quenchers.  So much fun and we didn’t get on the cruise ship yet!

The day's plan was welcome the remaining sixteen classmates and gather for a full day touring this Pacific Northwest Canada gem.

Itinerary included a city overview including a stop at Granville Island Farmers Market followed by an afternoon journey to Gousse Mountain & Capilano Bridge Park. Lots of camera clicking, ice cream cone tasting, souvenir selecting & new territory exploring all on the to do list.

Our ship was anchored in the bay waiting for room at the dock. Vancouver has traffic jams too.

The next day is Cruise day is here! Although a bit unusual, NCL embarkation check-in process commenced at 7:00 pm for a 2:30 am departure. Probably due to the traffic jam in the port.

We killed some time a a Lumber Jack show and just sitting around at the port.

It's a big ship and it took hours to get everyone boarded. Lots of sitting around but it was finally worth it as we found our cabin.

Our dinner together calmed our anxious souls because we were primed for a relaxing cruise.

Nothing would sever our commitment to the best time ever with 36 family and friends...not even a cancelled Seattle port of call due to weather. Bummers.

Then we got down to eating at we tried to hit all the 15 or so restaurants. And a great buffet. No excuse for getting hungry.

In between meals there were salsa/line dancing, balloon character making, karaoke singing, trivia/bingo/casino gaming, shopping, wine sipping, venue venturing, spa pampering and fitness center exercising.  

Let's not forget the shows: the Jersey Boys (great), live Beatles music at the Cavern (great too) and Teppenyaki dining!  Nonetheless, the highlight was NCL "night out" where we gussied up for the evening. Gals sparkled and guys donned dashing coats and ties.  Champagne glasses rose to toast the finest group ever!

Victoria BC, San Francisco and disembarkation port of Los Angeles proved to be greatl cities to discover.  

From the Butchart Gardens to Scomas Seafood Restaurant to LA Farmers Market, we kept busy discovering together.

Sixteen that couldn’t wait showed up early in Seattle for a pre-cruise adventure in the Emerald City.  A late night arrival didn’t slow them down the next day as they toured the Chihuly Glass Museum, Seattle Space Needle and then dining al fresco at Duke’s/Lake Union pier.  

Just to make it interesting, the weather went from 40 degrees to hail.

We had time to visit a Lumber Jack show where they threw axes, cut stuff and climbed things.

Teppanyaki dinner on board the ship.

No chickens were harmed.

For some reason or another the ship is skipping Seattle.

That means a longer day at sea as it chugs to San Francisco.

That means more eating.

The City by the Bay - San Francisco.

The ship entered the harbor on a beautiful morning. We just have one day here and plans have been made to use every minute to visit all we can.

So much to see around the piers - so many great restaurants to try - so many miles to peddle around.

It's a nightime departure from San Francisco and arriving the next morning in Los Angeles where we have a full day before heading home.

When you are on a ship with 4,000 passengers it takes a while to get everyone on and off.

In Vancouver it took hours to get on board. Getting off in Los Angeles wasn't much better as they broke everyone into groups to wait then go find their luggage on the dock. There was a lot of luggage.

Luggage goes in the bus and we go exploring.

Hollywood.

Tinseltown.

The city of fame and broken hearts.

Victoria BC, San Francisco and disembarkation port of Los Angeles proved to be greatl cities to discover.  From the Butchart Gardens to Scomas Seafood Restaurant to LA Farmers Market, we kept busy discovering together.  No trip to LA is complete without a stop in Hollywood and the Famous (and crowded) Farmer's Market.

After what, most of the group battled the LA traffic to the airport where we waited some more for the flight home. For a few- it was off to Las Vegas for more "vacation" and visit their money.

We may have gathered as classmates but after this cruise vacation, value each other as forever family.  As Art would say…we got you covered!


Photos and video by:

Courtney Harrington

Lani Harrington

Cheryl Osumi

Josie Akana